7 Simple Secrets to Grow Your Best Crop of Cucumbers Ever This Year!

Think fresh, juicy, refreshing and vegetables – Yes, it’s cucumbers! Easy to grow in your backyard, super-productive, these water and nutrient rich fruits are heaven in salads through the hot months of summer, and good to hydrate you and your skin… But are you sure you can grow them like a pro? If you are not, I have some “trade secrets” to share with you.

Curious? Here are 7 simple secrets to grow your cucumbers – you won’t regret reading them, because your crop this year will amaze you!

Growing Cucumbers Secret 1 – Start them from Seed!

Yes, you can buy seedlings and transplant cucumbers, but it’s far better if you start them from seed directly in your backyard. Wonder why? Let me tell you…

• Like all climbers, cucumbers don’t take well to transplanting. You may have seen the experiments with peas: as soon as they sprout, they start looking for a support to cling onto. You don’t want to disorient them by changing their home!
• It also follows that you can only transplant very young cucumber seedlings; wait too long and you may even lose them. What’s more, seedlings often stay in retailers for days or weeks – bad idea with climbers.
• Also, very young seedlings are vulnerable.
• In any case, every time you transplant a seedling, it slows down its growth, to adapt to the new environment.
• Cucumber seeds are strong, with a high germination rate, so it’s quite safe to sow them directly in your veggie beds.
• Finally, cucumber seeds are cheaper than seedlings!

True, you can still grow them as creepers from seedlings, but they work better as climbers. Needless to say, choose good quality seeds. A few more tips:

• Sowing depth: 1 inch (2.5 cm).
• Spacing: 12 to 24 inches (30 to 60 cm), depending on the variety.
• Rows: 3 to 4 feet apart (90 to 120 cm).
• Sow3 seeds in each hole, thenthin out the weaker plants.

Growing Cucumbers Secret 2 – Companion Plants to Protect Cucumbers from Pests

As we said, cucumbers are juicy, and they also have soft and large leaves. Do they make your mouth water? Well, they have the same effect on pests. They are very prone to infestations!

You can keep pests away with natural repellents (like garlic and chili water), but you can also grow companion plants to protect them. Here’s a list of varieties you can use:

• Marigold(Tagetes spp.): it repels nematodes, aphids, and beetles, a “must grow variety”
• Oregano (Origanum vulgare): it repels cucumber beetles.
• Radish (Raphanus sativus): it repels cucumber beetles.
• Garlic (Allium sativum): it deters aphids and spider mites.
• Onion (Allium cepa): it repels pests with its strong scent.
• Chives (Allium schoenoprasum): it discourages aphids and beetles.
• Basil (Ocimum basilicum): it repels thrips, flies, and mosquitoes.
• Borage (Borago officinalis): it deters tomato hornworms & cabbage worms
• Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare): it repels ants. Beetles and flying insects.
• Catnip(Nepeta cataria): it repels flea beetles and aphids.

And you can also grow some trap plants away from your cucumbers; these will divert pests towards themselves, for example

• Nasturtium(Tropaeolum majus): it traps aphids and it deters cucumber beetles.
• Corn (Zea mays): it provides shade and it lures pests away.
• Sunflower(Helianthus annuus): a great trap crop for aphids.

Growing Cucumbers Secret 3 – Give Them the Right Soil and They Will Grow Fast and Strong!

If you want to have a really generous harvest of cucumbers all through the season, first of all, get the soil structure, pH and composition right.

Ideally, the soil should be loam based, well drained and with neutral to slightly acidic pH. If it is sand based, add a lot of organic matter, and if it is clay based also add gypsum for drainage. You final growing conditions should be like this:

Soil composition:

• Texture:loose, crumbly (avoid heavy clay or sandy soil).
• pH:6.0–6.8.
• Organic matter: 20–30% compost or mature manure.
• Drainage: add coarse sand, or perlite and/or vermiculite if the soil is compacted.

Soil Amendments (before planting):

• Compost (2–3 inches mixed into topsoil).
• Worm castings (for microbial activity).
• Coconut coir/peat moss (to retain moisture in sandy soil).

You may need to amend the soil as they grow, because it can change over time (heavy rains, even hot weather and wind and many other factors can impoverish). But how, and how do you know what’s missing and what you need to give to your cucumbers?

Here’s a simple troubleshooting list of the most typical problems with cucumbers when they grow:

• Yellow leaves? Add compost and magnesium (a cup of Epsom salt, or spray it on them for leaf fertilization – they eat through foliage too, and fast).
• Slow growth? Check drainage and add nitrogen (with fertilizer or blood meal).
• Bitter fruit? Ensure your watering is consistent and add potassium (wood ash).

Next, let’s talk about the mealscucumbers like…

Growing Cucumbers Secret 4 – Feed Them Well and They Will Feed You (and Your Family) a Lot!

Of course, you need to give your cucumbers the fertilization to get a bumper crop of abundant and big fruits, but the question is, how do you feed cucumbers through the growing and harvest season?

The key point is that cucumbers don’t need the same fertilizers throughout their lives; they like to “change diet”. But if you get this right, you will get loads of big fruits from these plants.

There are 4 main phases of their growth that you need to be aware of:

• The pre-planting phase.
• The seedling phase.
• The growing phase.
• The flowering and fruiting phase.

Growth stage	Fertilizer type	Frequency
Pre-planting	Balanced (10-10-10 or 5-5-5) fertilize; compost is fine.	Mix into the soil at planting.
Seedling (3–4 leaves)	High-nitrogen (e.g., fish emulsion), one cup per plant.	Every 2 weeks.
Growing phase	High nitrogen fertilizer, one cup per plant.	Every 2 weeks
Flowering/fruiting	Low-N, high P/K (5-10-10) fertilizer.	Every 3 to 4 weeks.

Here are some natural fertilizers you can use in the seedling and growing phases to boost your cucumbers’ growth.

• Compost Tea (1:10 dilution) – Gentle, balanced nutrients.
• Fish Emulsion (5-1-1) – 1 to 2 tablespoons per gallon of water.
• Worm Castings – Top-dress soil or brew into tea.
• Alfalfa Meal (2.5-1-1) – ¼ cup per plant, mixed into soil.
• Blood meal (12-0-0) – Use sparingly (1 tbsp per plant).

And then, when they start flowering, you want to give your cucumbers more phosphorus (P) and potassium (K); here are some natural options:

Phosphorus boosters (For flowering):

Bone meal (3-15-0) – for slow-release phosphorus.
Fish bone meal (4-12-0) – it has faster breakdown than bone meal.
Rock phosphate (0-3-0) – for long-term soil amendment.

Mix 1 one or 2 tablespoons into soil at the base of the plant.

Potassium Boosters (for fruit quality and yield):

• Wood ash (0-1-3) – Sprinkle lightly (1/4 cup per plant) and avoid overuse (it can raise the pH).
• Banana peel tea – Soak banana peels in water for 2 days, then water your cucumber plants.
• Kelp meal or seaweed extract (1-0-2) – for foliar spray or soil drench.
• Greensand (0-0-3) – for slow-release potassium for sandy soils.

A final tip; keep the fertilizers 6 inches (15 cm) away from the base of your cucumbers, as they can damage the stems.

Growing Cucumber Secret 5 – They Are VERY Thirsty Plants!

Cucumbers are famously 96% water, and they need to get it from somewhere – actually, it is you who need to give it to them, with abundant and regular irrigation. But there are many variables, such as the size and age of your plants, the climate and the weather (e.g., dry or wet spells).

You should adjust your watering according to the age and growing phases of your cucumbers, like this:

In fact, the average grown up cucumber plant needs 1.3 to 2.4 gallons of water per week (5 to 9 liters). In containers, they need 6 to 10 liters (1.6 to2.6 gallons) weekly, as pots dry up faster.

Stage	Water per week per plant
Seedling	0.5 to 1-0 gallon (2 to4 liters)
Vegetative	1.0 to 1.5 gallons (4 to 6 liters)
Flowering and fruiting	1.5 to 3.0 gallons (6 to 1 liters)

However,in these climates:

• Hot and dry climates:  7 to 11 liters (1.8 to 3.0 gallons).
• Mild climates: 5 to 9 liters (2.3 to 2.4 gallons).
• Cool and humid climates: 4 to 6 liters (1.0 to 1.6 gallons).

So, be prepared according to where you live. And you should also adjust your watering according to these conditions:

• Hot or dry weather: add 0.5 to 1 gallon (2 to 4 liters) extra.
• Sandy soil: increase by 20–30% (it drains faster).
• Clay soil: reduce by 10 to 20% (it holds moisture longer).
• Container plantsmay need up to 2x more(pots dry out faster).

And these are the signs that you are irrigating your cucumbers correctly:

The soil stays moist (not soggy) 2 inches deep (5.0 cm).
The leaves are perky, not wilted.
The fruits grow evenlyand they are not bitter.

Growing Cucumbers Secret 6 – Support and Train Your Plants Early and Well

Cucumber plants climb up and up, and they do it fast, in a matter of weeks, so, you need to give them support, like a trellis, so they can cling to it. And remember, their fruits are heavy for those slim vines!

First of all, the timing: don’t delay! Your support must be in place when the cucumber plants are 6 to 12 inches tall (15 to 30 cm). I’d suggest you mount it as soon as you see the first leaves and you know where they are exactly.

Next, which kind of support do cucumbers need? They don’t require a super hard structure; they are annuals and fairly light compared with other climbers – so, don’t waste precious material. I’ll give you three options, so you can choose:

• A trellis (best forvertical growth and ideal for vining varieties)

It saves space, keeps fruit clean.

You can use any of these:

• Cattle panels
• Bamboo stakes + twine
• Wire mesh (A-frame or arch)
• PVC pipe frame

How to set it up:

• Install a 5–6 ft (1.5–1.8 m) tall trellis.
• Train the vines upward using soft ties or clips (avoid damaging stems).
• Weave tendrils around the trellis as they grow.

• Tomato Cages(they are quick and easy to use)
• They are good for bush or compact varieties.
• Tip: use heavy-duty cages (flimsy ones may topple).

How to use tomato cages:

• Place the age over the young plant.
• Guide the vinesthrough openings of the cage as they grow.
• Fence or Netting (a space saving option)
• If you have a small garden, you can simply grow your cucumbers next to a pre-existing fence or install one.

Suitable types of fences:

• Cattle panels (durable)
• Nylon mesh (lightweight)
• Any fairly solid wood frame.
• Large chicken wire or an iron fence with horizontal bars (not only vertical or they will slide down).

How to install:

• Secure a 4–6 ft (1.2–1.8 m) tall fence behind plants.
• Train the vines horizontally or vertically.

Now, a few tips on how to train your cucumber plants to cling onto your support

• Start early (once the vines are 6 to 12 incheslong, or 15 to 30 cm).
• Gently tie the stems with soft twine, cloth strips, or plant clips.
• Prune excess side shoots if needed (to focus energy on fruit).

Whichever method you choose, by all means avoid these mistakes!

• Waiting too long (training is harder once the vines tangle).
• Using rough ties (it can cut into stems).
• Overcrowding (it reduces airflow and it invites disease).

Growing Cucumbers Secret 7 – Keep Harvesting!

Yes, you heard me right! You must keep harvesting your cucumbers to get many more!  And the reason is very simple: if they go to seed, they stop fruiting. But how do you know they are ready for picking?

• The cucumbers should be dark green.
• Their peel should be glossy, but above all…
• The cucumbers should be firm and hard to the touch.
• As to the size, it depends on the variety.

Never let your cucumbers go soft or yellow. And that’s all you need to get a long and bountiful crop.

Not a Real Conclusion…

I know, I promised 7 secrets so now it should be time to close this article, but… I can’t resist it; I have a few more tips for you!

• Grow lots of flowering plants near your cucumbers to attract pollinators.
• You can also pollinate the cucumbers yourself, all you need is one of those cotton buds you use to clean your ears. How?
  • Find a male flower (it has a thin stem).
  • Rub the cotton buds on the stamens of the flower.
  • Find a female flower (thick stem, it’s like a tiny cucumber in the making).
  • Rub the pollinated cotton bud on the stigma (tip of the pistil).

Easy and fun if bees are lazy! So, have fun and a massive cucumber harvest this year!